The importance of master-disciple inheritance in traditional martial arts

  With the promotion of Dan-ranking system of Chinese martial arts by the Chinese government, the traditional Chinese martial arts (wushu) have gradually shifted from practical combat of attack-and-defense to routine performance; and the movements have also become more about aesthetics and difficulty, which have made them into forms of art, dance and gymnastics. Although such development has contributed to the popularization of Chinese martial arts, it has led to the deviation of its connotation and directly affected the practicality and the nature of fitness. However, this examination- and competition-oriented evaluation system is not totally applicable for traditional Internal martial arts, which not only focus on master-disciple inheritance and transmission but also emphasizes both practical combat of attack-and-defense and fitness regimen.
  The essence of traditional Internal martial arts lies in the teaching by percept and example between masters and disciples, which means that the master should not only pass on his or her skills, but also the virtues of martial arts. It is only through years of instruction with earnest efforts and rigorous assessment that a master can make sure that the disciple has the ability to pass on his or her martial arts skills. Only the person who has truly mastered the art and possesses the spirit of inheritance and transmission is qualified to become the master’s “disciple” and join the master’s skill inheritance system.
  Therefore, for practitioners of traditional martial arts, one of the important elements in measuring their true mastery of the art are whether or not they have been passed on by their masters in person and the qualification of becoming the “disciples”.
  随着中国政府武术段位制的推广，将传统武术的逐渐从实战技击转向套路表演；动作也变得更加注重美观和难度，逐渐呈现出艺术化、舞蹈化和体操化的特点。虽然在普及武术方面做出了贡献，却导致其内涵发生偏离并直接影响到实用性、健身性。这种以考试、比赛为导向的评价体系，并不完全适用于注重师徒传承、强调实战技击与养生并重的传统内家武术。
  传统内家武术的精髓在于师徒间的言传身教，师父不仅传授技艺，更传承武德。通过多年的悉心教导和严格考核，师父才能确定弟子是否具备传承其武艺的能力。只有真正掌握技艺并具备传承精神的弟子，才有资格成为师父的“入室弟子”，加入到师门的传承体系中。
  因此，对于传统武术习练者来说，能否得到名师的亲传，是否成为“入室弟子”，才是衡量其是否真正掌握本门派技艺的重要标志之一。